Attempt One: Kahoot
The first attempt at formulating differentiated groups involved the use of a pre-test. The test was designed to find out which students already possessed a high level of background knowledge in Ancient Civilizations. If a group was identified, this group could be expected to move through the primary information at a much quicker pace, allowing them to do further learning with the curriculum that under normal conditions, cannot be reached. The remaining students could work through the material at a normal or slower pace. The test was administered through the use of Kahoot. Although the results did not indicate that a large number students had a high level of prior knowledge, it did indicate that there was a gap between the students. This convinced us that we could off a group of students and have them move at an accelerated pace. Mr. Mackley removed this group from the LGI and worked with them in his room. The remaining students stayed in the LGI with Mr. Crabtree and myself. Although they were all together, we further separated the students into groups by results and ability. This allowed us to focus on the groups with the struggling learners.
In our second attempt at differentiated groups, we used a combination of evidence from our classroom experience with our students and their reading levels as determined by the PSSA testing results. Although similar to our first groups, these groups allowed us to move students around if their performance in our classroom exceeded what one time testing results (like PSSA or Kahoot) might show us. We also used these groups to teacher cooperative learning skills. These skills helped us control the large numbers we had by assigning specific jobs to every student every day. In the video below, you will see the beginning of a lesson where the instructors both provide the learning goals for the day as well as the jobs that the students will engage in.
Attempt Three: Random Selection
In our third grouping, we had the students selected purely at random by selecting a playing card. The cards were first put together in small groups to complete a reading activity. Once the groups completed their reading assignment, they created large groups by card suits and used their iPads to create books in the Book Creator app. These books were put together into one book for each suit that created a visual dissection of the reading assignment.
Attempt One: Kahoot
The first attempt at formulating differentiated groups involved the use of a pre-test. The test was designed to find out which students already possessed a high level of background knowledge in Ancient Civilizations. If a group was identified, this group could be expected to move through the primary information at a much quicker pace, allowing them to do further learning with the curriculum that under normal conditions, cannot be reached. The remaining students could work through the material at a normal or slower pace. The test was administered through the use of Kahoot. Although the results did not indicate that a large number students had a high level of prior knowledge, it did indicate that there was a gap between the students. This convinced us that we could off a group of students and have them move at an accelerated pace. Mr. Mackley removed this group from the LGI and worked with them in his room. The remaining students stayed in the LGI with Mr. Crabtree and myself. Although they were all together, we further separated the students into groups by results and ability. This allowed us to focus on the groups with the struggling learners.
Example Results
Attempt Two: Teacher Choice
In our second attempt at differentiated groups, we used a combination of evidence from our classroom experience with our students and their reading levels as determined by the PSSA testing results. Although similar to our first groups, these groups allowed us to move students around if their performance in our classroom exceeded what one time testing results (like PSSA or Kahoot) might show us. We also used these groups to teacher cooperative learning skills. These skills helped us control the large numbers we had by assigning specific jobs to every student every day. In the video below, you will see the beginning of a lesson where the instructors both provide the learning goals for the day as well as the jobs that the students will engage in.
Attempt Three: Random Selection
In our third grouping, we had the students selected purely at random by selecting a playing card. The cards were first put together in small groups to complete a reading activity. Once the groups completed their reading assignment, they created large groups by card suits and used their iPads to create books in the Book Creator app. These books were put together into one book for each suit that created a visual dissection of the reading assignment.
https://drive.google.com/a/hershey.k12.pa.us/file/d/0B-s0c3a4VIQqenFhdHBUYTN0NTQ/view?ts=564e1582
https://drive.google.com/a/hershey.k12.pa.us/file/d/0B-s0c3a4VIQqTm11QTNPVDlUMEE/view?ts=564e15ae
https://drive.google.com/a/hershey.k12.pa.us/file/d/0B-s0c3a4VIQqYVNMaUdBcHlxN1k/view?ts=564e2749